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When your Mum's a nurse, you're up Shit Creek if you try to throw a sickie.

"Sick? You're not sick! The folks on Ward 5b are sick. Now get up and get off to school…"

This is Semra, pretty much the nicest nurse on the ward (and I can't imagine her being like that to her littlies)
And smart with it.

We were talking about our backgrounds – she's of Turkish heritage – and she suddenly asked "What was integration like for you?".

No-one's ever asked me that.

I'd never thought about it before – I just sort of merged in, I guess and it was definitely more difficult for her – but it saddens me that there are so few interactions between cultures at this level.

We'll have to continue the discussion tomorrow while she's washing my legs ….